Sorry that my chapter is a couple of days late but I have been working and have been at college. Thanks to everyone that reviewed the last chapter. I have been getting some new reviewers alongside my older ones so this means more people are reading which is good THANK YOU! Anyway just to let you know that I do not own the host or any of the characters Stephenie Meyer does. I do however own the plot so enjoy.

Chapter 8

Jared's POV

My mind was reeling from everything that had happened in the past 24 hours. First of all Melanie was pregnant, then after finally plucking up the courage, I had kissed Wanda showing her how I really felt, I'd fought with Ian and then broke his heart by kissing his girlfriend. After all of this I didn't know how I was holding myself together, my life was such as mess and I was responsible for hurting so many people.

Well except for Melanie. In her case she was the one too blame, she was the one who had hurt me.

I still couldn't believe Mel was having a baby. Me and Mel had talked about children many times and had decided that it was wrong to bring a child into a world like the one we lived in. Because of this I had never really imagined her pregnant; well that and the fact we hadn't had sex for over a year.

I felt bad now for what I had done with Wanda. Mel hadn't technically cheated on me; she hadn't stopped it, but she hadn't cheated on me. She must be so confused and upset right now not knowing what to do about the baby and here I was kissing another woman and being a complete dick to her.

I had to go find her!

I trudged back to our room. I expected to find Mel in there still but the room was empty. I wonder where she could be.

Normally when I couldn't find Mel I would look for Wanda. Nine times out of ten I would find them together talking about random nothingness; I guess you were able to do that after spending a year in each others head. I knew she wouldn't be with Wanda now though. If I were Mel I wouldn't be able to face her knowing a secret like she knew.

I had just finished searching the kitchen and was on my way to the games room when I ran into Lily. Lily had her hands full with bottles of mineral water, no doubt returning from distributing water to the workers digging in the fields.

"Hey Jared" Lily exclaimed

"Lily" I nodded. Lily smiled at me.

"So shall we expect anymore violent outbursts from you, I'm not happy about the way you treated Ian. Ian's a good man and he don't need you punching him for something he probably didn't do" Lily gave me one of her stern looks, one that has been known to reduce bigger men than me to tears.

"He helped me out a lot after...We-s" Lily stuttered.

"Hey Lily" I started. "Don't get upset" I wrapped my arms around her to comfort her and felt her sag against my body, silent tears soaking my shirt.

After a few minutes I felt Lily lift her head from my chest. She'd stopped crying now and wiped the tell-tale tear tracks from her face before looking at me fully.

"Look at me" she laughed nervously. "Here are you obviously in a hurry to get somewhere and you have me dripping all over you with my problems. Where are you off too anyway?"

"Don't be silly" I replied. "We've all got time for you Lily. You don't have to be strong all the time you know. It's not a crime to cry or grieve for Wes. Hell even if it was it doesn't matter. We break laws all the time. We lie, cheat and steal."

This made Lily laugh again and that was such a rare sound these days that I felt inclined to laugh also.

"I don't think laws mean much anymore when you're the last people on earth!" Lily stated.

I laughed.

"So where were you off before you bumped into me?"

"Oh I was looking for Melanie."

"Mel?" Lily asked. "I saw her not long ago; actually it was only bout ten minutes before I saw you. She was headed off in the direction of Doc's room and to be honest she looked pretty cut up about something. I tried to stop her to see what the matter was but I don't think she could hear me. She was in a little world of her own."

"Doc's room" I asked.

"Yes why?" Lily asked, but before I could answer I had tore off down the tunnel in the direction of Doc's hospital.

Mel's POV

I arrived at Doc's hospital in no time at all. I was puffing and panting by the time I entered the makeshift hospital and as I leant on the doorframe to catch my breath I noticed a lump under a sheet on one of the cots.

I hadn't known that Doc was extracting anyone at the time being. If I had I may have left it a bit longer before I asked him what I was planning on asking him.

Doc always got so upset and distressed during these operations. We had a very good success rate but sometimes it took a long time for the humans to wake back up once the soul inhabiting them was removed; if they woke up at all. By the presence of the bottle of whiskey on Doc's desk I could tell that this particular case wasn't going well.

"Mel?" Doc asked "Are you okay?"

"Hey Doc" I mumbled. "I need to talk to you if that's okay."

"Sure Mel, you can talk to me anytime you want, you know that."

"What if I wanted to ask you something, something you may not like?"

I decided that now I'd made my way here I might as well go ahead and ask what I came to ask. Doc was looking at me strangely. Then it clicked, this situation would be very familiar to him. Not too long ago Wanda in my body had asked Doc to promise her something that he didn't like. Now I was about to make him go through this situation all over again.

"It depends on what it is of course Melanie."

"Well..."I began. "I need you to help me with something. It's going to put you in an awkward situation but I need your help...I'm desperate!"

"Mel, what's wrong" Doc urged, making his way over to me to comfort me. He must be able to hear the desperation in my voice.

"Doc...I need an abortion!"

Doc's mouth fell open at this last statement. His eyes left my face and travelled to my still flat stomach and then back again quickly.

"You're pregnant" He gasped.

I nodded, head kept low so he couldn't meet my gaze and make me feel worse than I already felt. I glanced up and found Doc with his hands at his skull as if trying to erase the information I had just given him.

"Mel, I can't" Doc stated. "I can't end life when so much of it is being lost these days already. Not only that but I have to think of Jared. He needs to have a say in this too. This baby isn't just yours."

"Your right there Doc" I answered. "This baby isn't just mine. But, it also isn't Jared's"

Doc looked at me confusion spreading across his prematurely lined face, the stress of his job had aged him greatly.

"I don't understand" Doc said.

"I mean, Jared isn't the father. Ian is!"

"Ian" Doc gasped.

I nodded again. I wondered if I might pull a neck muscle from all this nodding. I felt like one of those dogs placed in the back of a car.

After a few minutes of awkward silence and quick glances Doc started again.

"Mel, I still can't do it. Even if the baby is Ian's and not Jared's then doesn't Ian have a say in this."

"Ian doesn't want this baby." I told Doc. "He has Wanda now and the baby is just an inconvenience. So this is my choice and I DON'T WANT THIS BABY!"

Damn. I'd started crying now. I promised myself as I left my room that I would never cry over Ian again and less than an hour later I had failed.

"Mel..." Doc began.

"No Doc. I am getting rid of this baby one way or another with or without your help although with your help would be much safer. You were willing to end a life when Wanda asked you to help her and yet when I ask you, you tell me no. How is that fair? Why is it right for you to help Wanda and yet not me?"

Doc cringed at the memory of him accepting to kill Wanda against his own beliefs. The silence that had fell was broken by another male voice.

"Because you have me" a voice said from the door.

I turned around and at the door stood Jared. He had quite obviously ran here but his breathing was returning to normal which meant her had been here for a while listening to what I had been asking Doc.

"Jared, what are you doing here?"

"I'm here for you Mel." He said. "You don't need to get rid of this baby because you're not in this alone. I'm here for you as I always have been and just because this baby isn't mine does not mean I won't continue to help and love you."

Hearing this made my insides flutter. Jared was and had always been there for me. I was a bitch for not treating him with the respect he deserved. Even now, hearing him tell me how he would be there for me and help me, stay with me even after what I had done didn't stop the feeling I had which wanted this to be Ian not Jared standing before me.

However it wasn't Ian standing here. It was strong and reliable Jared. Jared, my best friend and protector who was standing here now offering to bring up another mans child.

Could I do it? Could I have this child with Ian living in such close quarters? How would I feel bringing Ian's child into this world and have him wanting nothing to do with either of us. Could I live with that?

"Mel?" Jared carried on. "What do you think?"

I had been quiet for a minute thinking through my options. I wouldn't have to kill this baby. This baby had just as much right to live as anybody else in this world. Why should it die because its mother was cut up about being rejected?

I looked up at Jared who was staring at me intently. He smiled at me as he saw me look up at him.

"Well?" He prompted.

"Thank you" I said. "You're always there for me and your right. I love you too."

And it was true I did love him. Just not in the same way as I always had.

Jared pulled me into a hug and I felt safe enveloped in his big familiar arms. It was during this hug that I noticed him watching us. Standing at the entrance, hair mussed staring at the sight of me in Jared's arms with a sad look on his face.

Ian!

Again, sorry that i was late. I have been working and college BLAH. Christmas holidays though soon so hopefully I will be able to complete more and update sooner with all the extra time. Please Read and Review this chapter. I'm getting a lot of views but not many reviews so please, please review and if you do I may send you a teaser of the next chapter before I update. But only too those who review.